1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to novel phenylalkylamino carbamate compounds and pharmaceutically useful salts thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to O-carbamoyl-phenylalaninol having substituent at benzene ring and pharmaceutically useful salts thereof, which are useful to treat deseases of the central nervous system such as depression and anxiety. Also the present invention is concerned with methods for preparing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of important therapeutical medicines useful for controlling central nervous system (hereinafter referred to as "CNS") disorders is phenylethylamine derivatives. These compounds have been used mainly to treat obesity, narcolepsy, minimal brain dysfunction and mild depression.
Carbamates have been effectively used for controlling CNS disorders. For example, 2-methyl-2-propyl-1,3-propanediol dicarbamate was reported in J. Am. Chem. Soc., 73, 5779 (1951) and the pharmaceutical activity thereof was ascertained in J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 104, 229 (1952).
U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,444 discloses 2-phenyl-1,3-propanediol dicarbamate and U.S. Pat. No. 2,937,119 discloses isopropyl meprobamate. These carbamate compounds are found to be very effective therapeutic medicines for treating CNS disorders, especially, as an antiepileptic and a centrally acting muscle relaxant. Research for the development of carbamate therapeutics for CNS diseases has been and continues to be actively advanced.
Recent design of pharmacologically useful compounds has been based on amino acids or the derivatives thereof, which is mainly attributable to the fact at many of the compounds found in biological systems come from amino acids or the derivatives thereof. In addition, in most cases, the function of a pharmaceutically useful compound is effected after it binds to an enzyme or receptor, which may trigger the regulatory mechanisms of the enzyme or receptor.